Beteckning
Akademin för utbildning och ekonomi
A Case Study: The use of multimodality in Second Language Learning Classroom
Assignments
Suana Mujkic December 2010
Examensarbete
Supervisor: Alan Shima Examinator: Michael Gustavsson
TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Purpose 1 1.2 Research questions 2
2. REVIEW OF LITERATURE 4-5 3. THEORETICAL APPROACH 6-9 4. METHOD 10
4.1Method’s discussion 10-11 4.2Paricipants, location and digitalism 12 4.3Procedure 12-13
5. RESULTS 14 5.1 The beginning of the journey, the first lesson 14-16 5.2 The journey continues, the third and fourth lesson 16 5.3 The stories regarding the boy 16-17 5.4 The stories regarding the girl 17 5.5 The end of the journey 18
6. DISCUSSION 19-22 7. CONCLUSION 23 8. WORKS CITED 24-25 9. APPENDIX 26
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1. Introduction
Our present digital age is viewed as a result of rapid, technological development.
Furthermore, digital technology has been incorporated into the everyday life of a large
majority of pupils, and thus requires schools and the teaching profession to adapt to this new
circumstance. However, formal learning in classrooms does not always match this latest trend
of events outside the scope of school. Many teachers are compelled to alter their current
practices and change their view of literacy. For example, they are exploring the relationship
between extracurricular use of digital literacy and classroom practices. Consequently, the
application of technology is starting to be regarded as a teaching medium which promotes
language learning simultaneously as language knowledge is gained. The application of
multimedia sources, such as audio, visual texts and multimodality, enables teachers to unite
the classroom and the world outside and thus helps promote lifelong learning.
If we assume that digital literacy is a large and important activity in students’
lives, it can be argued that surfing the web and writing blogs also function as a means to
general communication which is a part of their young adolescent lives. With this
understanding of pupils’ literacy habits in mind, the primary aims of enhancing learners’
language proficiency should be coupled with an equivalent aim to broaden pupils’ world
views by using their Internet and digital experiences as a means of acquiring knowledge.
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1.1 Purpose
In many rural areas, the introduction of views beyond a pupil’s social and cultural
understanding raise challenges that educators must address. Acknowledging this challenge,
the teaching assignment described in this study was designed for specific purposes. This study
tries to evaluate the effectiveness of these assignments. The objectives of this study can be
characterized in the following manner:
• Firstly, the assignment’s use of an animated clip and a non verbal source (a picture) to
gain new insight concerning the world around them is evaluated.
• Secondly, the assignment focus on vocabulary and oral proficiency in the classroom is
evaluated for effectiveness.
• Thirdly, this study aims to demonstrate that language skills can be gained by watching
a clip and non verbal sources as a pedagogical method that is informed by action
research.
1.2 Research questions
The following questions have been posed to describe the wide-ranging intended goals of this
study:
• What are the benefits and outcomes when multimodal media is used in foreign
language instruction?
• How can incorporation of digital images in classroom instruction enhance the
student’s vocabulary range as well as the textual resource of digital images?
• How can mixed media assignments enlarge a student’s world view?
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2. Review of literature Previous research published regarding the usage of multimodality1
Andrew’s The Impact of ICT on Literacy Education draws the conclusion that
there is a great lack of empirically based studies that analyze moving image impact on
literacy
deals mostly with the
pupil’s interaction with the Internet as an informal means in language teaching. Conversely,
multimodality is, in this study, viewed as an acknowledged alternative teaching tool. The
discussion below highlights different receptions of multimodality in relation to language
teaching and language learning.
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Information and communication
technologies
acquisition. Thus, it would be an advantageous effect if moving image literacy was
perceived in terms of writing and reading rather than something dissociated from classroom
teaching. Andrew also claims that the impact of ICT (
) is more significant for the teacher’s role than the students’ response to
literature. Finally, from Andrew’s viewpoint, more classroom based studies require research
executed over a longer period of time if we are to gain new insight and information about
events that occur in the classroom. However, it ought to be underlined that the impact of ICT
might be equally important for both the students and the teacher due to the fact that the
students’ response to literature will enable the teacher to implement ICT in the classroom.
Thus, as Andrew points out, this response can be brought to the surface through the
application of action research where the teaching is enacted in a scientifically framed research
manner.
Rivoltella’s Digital Literacy –Tools and Methodologies for Information Society is
a collection of different authors discussing digital literacy. Amongst others, Mario Morcellini
underlines in “Digital Media and Socialization” that digital technologies should not be viewed
from the point of the Internet, digital TV and cell phones, but as symbols of integration of two
worlds where one is virtual and the other is veritable. Morcellini states that virtual experience
often emerges in situations that do not occur in an everyday experience. He thus claims that
reality provides individuals with the ability to exploit occurrences with the help of
technologies. Further, Morcellini emphasizes that digital technology through engagement and
integration with language fulfills within an individual something which can to be satisfied on a
1 In accordance with Lundahl multimodality is seen in the view of written language combined with sounds, moving images and still images, with the ability to represent the world in different means. 2 Literacy means in this essay the ability to not only perform and understand written language but also a social skill enabling the performer to the ability to operate in social and or cultural representations.(Andrews)
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daily basis. In the light of Morcellini’s line of argument, technology enables the world to be
portrayed in a way that a real life experience does not have the ability to do.
Pahl and Roswell’s Literacy and Education – Understanding the New Literacy Studies in the
Classroom examines the idiom of literacy as well as the meaning of literacy as subsisting of
something that is to a great extent visual. Therefore, the authors emphasize that the
understanding of being literate includes recognition of other form of literacy such as symbol
making, which includes drawings and photographs. Thus, these idioms lead to oral and other
forms of literacy practice. In addition, Pahl and Rowsell state that it is of decisive importance
for educators to take a part of the students’ changing communicative practices so that literacy
germinates and matches the changing world simultaneously as the teacher assists the students
to understand multimodal communication.
Continuing on the subject of literacy, Richard E. Mayer’s in The Cambridge
Handbook of Multimedia Learning composes an overview in relation to the different literacy
and the flexibility of multimedia. Simultaneously, Mayer states that multimedia permits,
through its flexibility, modification of a variety of assignments so it may suit different
learning styles. In addition, regarding second language acquisition, Meyer highlights that the
usage of multimedia can enhance the learning input and increase noticing of the language. In
the light of earlier research done on vocabulary acquisition, Meyer claims that pictures paired
with words show a more effective preservation of vocabulary.
Concerning the value of picture in language acquisition, Andrew Wright’s in
Pictures for Language Learning brings forward how traditional ways of viewing pictures add
interest as well as introduce cultural and contextual meaning to the target language. However,
more advanced forms of tasks for students are also highlighted with the intention of acquiring
higher skills in listening, reading, writing and communication. Wright states that pictures are
a non verbal source of information, suggesting that they represent an image where the
observer must predict meaning. Furthermore, Wright argues that communicative methodology
emphasizes the need for educators to give students proficiency in communication by using
non verbal forms as a verbal means. In the light of Wright’s emphasis, I also argue that the
usage of a non verbal source encourages the learner to make an individual interpretation
rather than a written text where pupils assume that the answer is a provided fact.
Moreover, Wright continues on the subject of images by providing the reader with
some vital points concerning the role of images in speaking and writing, which can be
summarized as follows:
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• Images contribute to the learners’ motivation and willingness to participate
• Images unite the world with the classroom environment
• Images offer a possibility of description and interpretation of different images
• Images offer a possibility to convey information that can be used in discussion and
storytelling
Finally, Wright claims that teachers are somewhat apprehensive when shaping learners’
development as people and shaping their ability to relate to others while simultaneously
enhancing their skills in a foreign language. Thus, by offering the students a wide rage of
resources, it assists the students to enhance their own development.
In Bo Lundahl’s Engelsk språkdidaktik- texter, kommunikation språkutveckling,
(English language didactics- text, communication and language development), the author
discusses visual literacy as a process that characterizes the pictures’ significance for
comprehension of a text. Despite the fact that the aim of English is the ability to perform
verbal and written language, the ability to decipher pictures is a significant fact to a wider
language conception. Images can contribute to gaining attentiveness and conveying a feeling.
In relation to the importance of pictures, Lundahl also discusses multimodality where written
language is combined with sounds, moving images and still images which represent the world
in different means. According to Lundahl, a picture analysis is characterized by the following:
• Encounter the picture with previous experience and preceding knowledge
• Discuss the image with values and assumption
• Relate the image to other images and place it in a content
Apart from the statements mentioned above, Lundahl concludes that pictures follow the same
patterns as a written text since the fundamental understanding can only be reached with
observation where the image is concretized to a fact. In addition, Lundahl also discusses the
importance of word proficiency stating that a distinction can be made between receptive and
productive word proficiency. The production of a word is done by learners in conversation
and the receptive words are those learners hear.
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3. Theoretical approaches The study’s point of departure concerning the usage of multimodality and images as tools for
teaching will be discussed based on previous academic works and their relation to this study’s
research questions. In addition, due to the fact that no single research theory could be applied
to this study, the following theoretical approaches consist of different outlines regarding the
use of images and Internet in the language classroom.
According to Warschauer, Shetzer and Meloni there are five main reasons for
using the Internet when teaching English as the target language. However, only two reasons
will further be discussed due to the fact that they are of most value for this study, namely
interaction and vitality. Interaction means primarily the resources for learning a foreign
language and receiving fluency by incorporation of interactive communication in the
classroom. This makes the Internet particularly relevant due to the fact that it gives the
students the opportunity to interact 24 hours a day with native and non native speakers.
Despite the fact that the task performed by the students in this research is not directly
interacting through the Internet, the Internet is still used to create a fruitful and meaningful
communication.
Vitality signifies actions that frequently take place in the classroom but for no
obvious pedagogical reason. According to the authors, the Internet can inject an element of
vitality into teaching and motivate the students by letting them communicate in a multimodal
medium always in change which also connects to their real life needs and situations. My point
of view deviates to an extent from the authors’ when they attempt to profile the Internet as the
answer to the student’s lack of motivation. In my opinion, motivation is a complex issue and
the implementation of Internet is not the only answer. However, I see a great point in using
the Internet in the classroom due to the reason that it might create interest and also provide the
students with lifelong learning since it is a source which gives the students access to
information about everything rapidly.
Concerning literacy as a part of the study, Kajder raises an issue in relation to
literacy due to the fact that there are many misconceptions concerning literacy and stating that
“literacy’s link to community and identity means that it can be a site of resistance for
adolescents. When students are not recognized for bringing valuable, multiple-literacy
practices to school, they can become resistant to school-based literacy” (xi). Furthermore, the
author states that learning literacy in a given discipline enables the students to discuss
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complex discourses and negotiate and distinguish the fact that different texts can have various
meanings in different contexts. In my opinion, the author’s statement is valuable due to the
fact that texts can have various meanings depending on the one doing the interpretation. In the
context of the point brought up by the author, Kajder also states that adolescents are in need
of bridges between everyday literacy practice and classroom communication including online
non book based communities. This is a strategy that is incorporated in the lesson plan to step
away from the book based activities and to acknowledge that English can be learned in
various ways.
On the subject of bringing in multicultural perspectives, Kajder discusses the
importance of multicultural perspectives in the classroom, stating that students ought to see
values in their own cultures and the culture of others as a part of the education. In the light of
that, she also states that it should go beyond a “tourist” (xiii) view of cultures and more to
encourage engagement with cultural issues, and also by integrating technology multicultural
literacy will be enhanced. This is something that the clip showed to the students’ aims to
expand world views and place cultural issues in focus.
Kajder, Pahl and Roswell state that by supporting the students’ recognition of
their local and global awareness, one also supports their literacy and encourages their sense of
identity. Furthermore, the authors also state that knowledge gained outside the classroom
should also be brought into the classroom where literacy can be used as:
• A framework for teaching a language
• Including multimodality in literacy teaching
• Literacy for displaying knowledge
• Literacy to develop skills as a combination of media and written assignment
In concurrence with the authors, my statements are that literacy pedagogy takes shape in
many ways and using these various forms as a tool for teaching benefits the students since it
enables them to express their language skills in different ways.
Using the Internet and other multimedia to enhance English learning does not
only derive from book-based activities. This is something that the performed task tried to
accomplish, a fundamental lifelong learning with various tools available. In relation to
different activities, Naidu states that learning is a process and that a set of effective and
efficient strategies lead to creation of frameworks for education, and therefore it is important
to also consider the learners’ progress so one can adapt the right level. Further, Naidu
addresses the role of multimedia in teaching and states that many researchers emphasize the
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importance of technology in the educational system. The author also states that consideration
should be taken in to the learning theories and concepts and the pedagogy that applies since
one can not assume that only by adding visual or audio component, the learning process will
be enhanced. In my opinion, one must have a clear intention with the use of multimedia and a
purpose for what it can contribute.
In line with the above claims, Naidu states that multimedia objects such as
pictures and animation can enhance the efficiency of the domain one is studying; by the usage
of various multimedia objects different learning tasks can be facilitated. Furthermore,
Multiple Representation (henceforth referred to as MR approach) underlines that the selection
of multimedia objects should be based on the task one performs; for example, audio enhances
the imagination, video clips provides action and information and texts convey details. The
MR approach also states that “the selection of objects should also consider the level of
learner’s domain competence in the current situation” (p.58). The notion that everything
should be considered from the level of the learner is of decisive importance, in my opinion,
since the learner will lose interest if the task is too hard and vice versa. The task should be
performed on a level where the student can learn new knowledge. In relation to the statements
above, the MR approach favors revisiting the same content in different contexts, an example
is using similar multimedia objects since it puts less cognitive overload on the learner. Other
advantages are:
• It implements a link between the things currently being learnt and the one
referred to.
• It provides simplicity with current concepts if becoming accustomed with past
learned practice.
The result of linking different tasks to one another is, in my opinion, very important due to the
fact that the learners can attain greater knowledge since they increase their knowledge based
on things they have already learned and it also facilitates gaining new knowledge due to
familiarization.
Finally, when discussing animations as a part of the lesson plan, Naidu
expresses that despite the fact that animations do not show a process in a substantive manner,
they facilitate for the learner to understand and obtain knowledge concerning the object that is
exposed. However, Naidu also states that the learner should be attentive of the fact that it can
be oversimplification. My belief is that the usage of animation can smooth the progress of
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gaining knowledge as a part of the greater whole since it might be hard to grasp concepts that
are revealed as they come into view.
The subject of using moving images and film is not only referred to by different academics, it
is also something that is a part of the national curriculum according to Ericsson:
Students in the Swedish schools system have the right to experience film. They
also have the right to express themselves in moving pictures. In the national
curriculum for the compulsory upper secondary school (2000) the language and
the text concept has been broadened to include the language of the moving
picture as well. Thus film is places side by side with literature (p.7)
Despite the fact that in this study a film is not shown, it does not take away from the fact that
even the national curriculum has become conscious of the importance of moving images and
what they can contribute to the learner since moving images are a powerful means of
expression.
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4. Method What follows is a description and discussion of action research, which is the selected method
for this study.
4.1 Method’s discussion
With the intention of designing and performing lessons that would incorporate the use of the
Internet and pictures as verbal sources, and thus convey a broader world view to the students,
a methodological point of departure was initiated from action research. This particular
methodology, action research, is according to Mills a “systematic inquiry conducted by
teacher researchers (…) to gather information about the ways that their particular schools
operate, how they teach, and how well their students learn” (p.6). Further, the author states
that the goal of action research is to develop a reflective practice that effects positive changes
in school and improves students’ learning outcomes. It is of deceive importance to be aware
of the fact that this kind of research is made by teachers for themselves with the intention to
improve something in the school environment that needs enhancement.
Mills states that action research is a four step process, which will here be
identified in a diagram and discussed further down:
Figure 1: Dialectic Action Research Spiral (Mills, 2000, p.20)
Identifying an area of focus means according to Mills that it is of decisive importance to
clearly elucidate what the area of focus is so that it can be connected to the initiative of action.
Furthermore, Mills quotes Elliot who states some criteria for identifying the general idea of
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focus stating that they should involve: learning and teaching, improvements or initiation of
change, a manner one is passionate about and finally something that is feasible in your
location of control. According to Mills, one should do reconnaissance to become attentive of
one’s own values and also review related literature to get more insight in other strings of
thought. In my viewpoint, reflecting on one’s own values can facilitate to remove bias and
subjectivity and let the written data speak for itself.
Several ways of collecting data can be obtainable through action research by
becoming a participant or an observer in the investigation; one can also collect field notes
while at the same time performing interviews and questionnaires (Mills 2000). From my
viewpoint, action research gives the researcher several ways of conducting an investigation
which leads to more dependable outcomes and also more variables to work with.
Analyzing and interpreting data, according to Mills, ought to be undertaken
during the time that the researcher wants to go over the embodied data that has been collected
to insure that it is truthful, trustworthy and accurate. According to Mills, this interpretation
process also means “undertaking problem analysis of antecedents and consequences; and
displaying findings” (p.109).
Developing an action plan aims, according to Mills, at answering the question
concerning the new gained knowledge and how one should react to it. It also brings up the
issues concerning the new findings and how one might bring the research forward by sharing
the new findings to facilitate others in the same focus area. Furthermore, Mills states that
sharing research result also helps to decrease the gap between the research/theory and
teaching practice in the educational setting.
Action research is an unconventional method that suits the aim and the purpose
of this essay to a great extent because it facilitates the possibility to perform an investigation
with the students and also to gain new knowledge about teaching. Other more conventional
methods as questionnaires and interviews would have forced me to interrogate an issue about
the students and not with the students.
Finally it is necessary to point out that the work performed with the method of
action research is characterized by assignments performed over a longer period of time.
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4.2 Participants, location and digitalism
The participants of this study are vocational students, attending their first year at an upper
secondary school. They are also a mixed group studying in one of the following programs: the
Child and Recreation Programme, the Vehicle Programme or the Construction Programme.
The class consists of six girls and fifteen boys. The reason why this class consists of different
pupils is due to the fact that pupils are placed in ability groups based on their results from a
test given in the beginning of the term. The students that are included in this investigation
belong to the intermediate group meaning that they reached the lowest goals required for
English A and are in great need of a teacher when performing various assignments. In the
light of the above, the students that participated in the research were approximately 18 due to
illness and other unexpected circumstances.
The school where the action research was preformed is outfitted with equipment
that facilitates teaching digitally. The school is provided with two class size labs and one
transport case with portable PC that can be brought in class when needed: however,
reservation is required when using these classrooms. There is a media room with movies and
cameras which also can be used through reservation. These resources smooth the progress of
teaching digitally.
4.3 Procedure
One of the main points of this study is to challenge the students to consider different life
situations and to think beyond the world where they are located. With that in mind, the tasks
designed for this assignment allowed me to bring in other literacies where a clip from the
Internet was the primary source, in order to step away from the book-based activities.
Through this assignment, an additional task was preformed. The first task required the
students to make timelines that show their lifespan from the age of 12- 18 with the usage of
only words and with a dictionary at their disposal. After a short discussion about the timeline
the animated clip was presented.
The content of the animated clip “The Clock is Ticking” portrays the life of a
girl from Africa and her life span from the age of 12-18 with only words and anime. This
contains the consequences of an upbringing with no right to education, marriage at a young
age, having children early and getting AIDS which goes on for generation creating a vicious
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circle. Furthermore, a rewinding of the clip shows what might happen if the girl receives aid
and education; meaning that she could break the pattern and as an alternative that fact would
go on for generations. .
Subsequently, the video and the timeline were juxtaposed to portray the
differences and similarities and the following topics where used for group discussions:
• The clock is ticking, with the aim of conveying one of the main meanings with the
video and illustrating the meaning of expressions.
• Teen pregnancy in countries as Africa and Europe with the aim of discussion the
difference in both attitudes and possibilities.
• AIDS as a disease and other sexual transmitted disease, with the aim of showing the
absence of AIDS in relation to the existence of other problems in pupils’ social
contexts.
• The right to education, with the aim of creating awareness within pupils regarding
their, individual life possibilities in relation to a social context where these do not
occur.
The aim of this part of the lesson attempts to increase awareness about the world around as
well as to use the target language to convey issues corning the topics that appear in the clip.
In the light of the Internet clip, a group task was performed where two images
were taken from an Internet site portraying a boy and a girl. The reason for choosing two
images instead of one was to encounter dissimilar stories and avoid a possible situation where
the students copy each other. The students were divided into four groups with the task to
compose life stories concerning the persons in the images by using their imagination. These
stories were presented in the form of a mind map by using only words to explain the
imaginary persons’ life. Additionally, all the groups presented their stories orally for the rest
of the class. This task was completed with a discussion of the boy’s and the girl’s real life.
The aim of this lesson was to enable the students to write a narrative by using their
imagination to form some different life situations and to broaden their perspective on different
people. Furthermore, the aim was also to increase their English vocabulary in writing and
speaking as well as using a non verbal source as verbal.
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5. Results One of the main purposes of this essay is to implement the use of Internet as a teaching tool
and subsequently assist the students towards new knowledge concerning their language skills
as well as the world around them. This is achieved by performance of three lessons. What
follows is a presentation of a succession of events during these lessons.
5.1. The beginning of the journey, the first lesson
The first lesson started with the class gathering in the audio room where information was
given to the students concerning the following lesson. Afterwards, the students were asked to
make a timeline using only words to illustrate their life situation from the ages of 12 until 18.
An issue that appeared during this part of the lesson was that some students felt unsure with
using only vocabulary and wanted to use sentences instead. Another issue was that some
students had not turned eighteen yet and felt insecure on what to write. The solution to these
issues was to give help concerning vocabulary as well as guiding the students to imagine what
they would do when turning 18. The outcomes of the timelines were that the students wrote
about:
Interest (soccer, ride horses, hockey, cars)
Conduct (mature, immature, grown up, responsible)
Future (drivers license, freedom (18))
Appearance (fat, thin)
Acquaintances (friends)
When completing their timeline, some students shared what they had written. I also shared my
timeline.
Furthermore, the clip concerning the African girl was shown and a short
discussion followed regarding the juxtaposition between the students’ timeline and the girl in
the clip. The students experienced that there was nothing mutually shared between them and
the girl, and uttered that they lived in different worlds. Further, the lesson continued with
discussion questions that the students chose and the following answers were noted. Each
group had one question to discuss. However slight modifications were made on their
comments due to shortcomings in language and to convey the intended meaning.
- What do you think that the author means by the expression: “The clock is
ticking”? According to the students, time goes by very fast for some people like the girl in the
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video, this due to the fact that she became pregnant at an early age. She had not a lot of time
to live for herself; she had to devote her life for someone else. Also the fact that the girl could
end up with AIDS meant that her life would be over faster. The group also stated that for
some people the age of 12 is only the beginning of life. The group also discussed the fact that
life goes by very fast when one is young and has something to achieve and that life would go
slower when one has accomplished what one wants in life. After following the group
discussions, a question was posed concerning the meaning of the expression in Swedish. On
that topic they stated that it means that we are running out of time; in connection with the girl
from the clip they said that if one does not do something many girls have the possibility to
end up having the same fate as the girl. When the group discussed their topic in the class
another boy stated that the issues in the video did not only concern the girl, but that boys also
could get AIDS and that is also a great problem.
-“What are the differences in teen pregnancy in Africa versus Sweden”?
It was clear from the beginning that the group had great weakness in the target language but
also that they had many misconceptions concerning Africa and their healthcare. The students
stated that the reason for girls in Africa becoming pregnant in an early age depended on the
fact that they did not have birth control as well the doctor’s inability to perform abortions.
Concerning teen pregnancy in Sweden, the group stated that it has become something of a
trend to become pregnant at an early age, a manner they though was not good. Furthermore,
they also stated that parents in Africa do not speak with their children concerning birth
control, because of their occupation with providing their children with food in order to
survive.
When performing the classroom discussion, there were many points that came
through since a lot of the students had something to say concerning the groups’ views on the
subject. One student in particular who came from Burundi stated clearly that they do have
birth control, and doctors that could perform abortions with the emphasis on difficulty to
perform it unlike Sweden. Concerning the point about the parents and their inability to speak
with their children, the student stated that it was something individual and that not every
parent in Sweden speaks with their children regarding that issue and the class agreed.
-“What do you know about the disease AIDS and about other sexual transmitted
diseases”? The group discussion started by utterances that in Africa AIDS is passed from
generation to generation and this is something that the clip also alludes to. Furthermore, they
also spoke about the reasons that people in Africa get AIDS is because it is spread in a much
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greater extent than in other continents. They also pointed to the fact that contracting AIDS in
a European country meant also that one can get antiretroviral drugs easier than in Africa.
Furthermore, the group spoke about the fact that even though AIDS is not spread to a great
extent in Sweden, we have other sexually transmitted diseases that one needs to take into
consideration since they are also dangerous. In the class discussion no one wanted to ad
something concerning this issue.
-“Do we take the right to education for granted, if we do then why, and how
would it be if everybody was able to go to school”? According to this group, we do take
school for granted thought due to the fact that we begin school at a very early age and we
continue the education until we get employment. The group also discussed that the reason for
education being taken for granted could be that school is at times boring and more activities
and practical work would make it more interesting. Furthermore, they stated that it would be
better for everybody to have an opportunity to get an education but there should also be
alternatives for those who do not want to go to school.
5.2 The journey continues, the third and fourth lesson
The second and third lesson continued with the implementation of two multimedia objects.
The students were presented with two pictures illustrating a dark skinned boy at en early age
and a light skinned girl also at a young age. The students were divided in four groups and
their task was to make up stories concerning one of the images by using words. However, the
students also chose to write small explanation under the words and one group also chose to
paint pictures to their story. The aim of these lessons was to extend the students’ vocabulary
range but also for them to understand the image as a textual resource.
Below, the stories have been edited to an extent with the aim to convey the
intended meaning since some students only used word when telling their story.
5.3 The stories regarding the boy
The first group tells the story about the boy Daniel Pagard who is born in Iran in the year of
1963, at an early age a war breaks out in his country and he loses his whole family. This tragic
event forces David to move to the United States of America where he begins a new life. At
the age of 15 David begins his working career as an employed at McDonalds where he starts
to overeat hamburgers, which leads to great obesity and despite this fact that many children
bully him in school he still has some friends. The story of David continues at the age of 50
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where he has come to the great weight of 90 kilos and he suffers a heart attack because he has
eaten a large amount of hamburgers all his life. Despite the fact that he almost dies, he does
not stop eating at McDonald’s and his weight only increases. At the age of 77 he is 120 kilos
and at this time he dies while eating a hamburger.
The second story is about the boy Achmed Ali who lives in Africa with his family and at the
beginning of the story Achmed is twelve and he has a twin brother. Achmed’s family is very
wealthy because they are gangsters and the grandfather of the family is a very famous gang
leader. One day, a rival gang comes to Achmed’s house and kills almost all the members of
his family; however the one who survives the attack is Achmed. Because of this he decides to
follow in his father’s footsteps and becomes a gang member in order to revenge his family
and kill the ones who took the life of his family. So after one week of searching Achmed finds
the leader of the gang and takes his life. However, three of them get away and Achmed
searches for the other members for the rest of his life.
5.4 Stories regarding the girl
This story is about a girl named Fia who was born in 1993 and who grew up in Sweden with
her mother because her father died in a horrible car accident when she was only two years old.
At that point she and her mother moved in to a big green house. At the age of six Fia became
a pupil of a school called Central school which was near her house. She was a star student but
she really never had many friends. She only had one good friend and that was a boy called
Jocke. After a few years, Fia’s mother meets a man named Thomas and Fia becomes very
fond of him and of his children Sally and Britta. Today Fia is 17 years old and she lives with
her mum and the new family. At this point of her life she has a lot of friends and a boyfriend
and she is very happy. THE END
The second story is about Elisabeth who is a girl of seven years and she lives in Poland in the
middle of Warszawa in the 1940’s. In one normal evening her parents tell her a story of better
times, and they see that their little girl is gently falling in to sleep, so they leave her room and
enter the living room. After a moment Elizabeth hears the front door get kicked in and two
soldiers come straight in to her room. The soldiers grab her and take her out to the living
room, she screams. She sees her father get executed right in front of her eyes. She hears that
her mother screams as she sees the soldiers remove her mother’s clothes and start to rape her.
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After a while she feels the gun against her head, tears fall from her eyes, she can smell death.
BANG!
5.5 The end of the journey
After the students had written their stories, they had an oral presentation where they presented
their stories. Furthermore, a discussion took place concerning why they had chosen to write
what they wrote, a discussion about the first story took place relating to the view of
overweight and problems concerning obesity. Regarding the second story we spoke about, if
one directly associates black skin with gangsters and the group said they wrote the story based
on a movie they had watched.
With reference to the picture of the girl and answering the question how they
came up with that story the first group answered that they had discussed similar issues in a
health and care class they had studied. The last group answered that they thought that the girl
in the image looked like someone from Poland and they instantly connected it to the World
War two.
In the end of the third lesson students were told that the images portrayed the
president of the USA Barack Obama at a very young age, and the girl was the actress Julia
Roberts. This came as a surprise to the students because they did not think that the persons in
the images could be someone they recognized.
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6. Discussion This discussion will first comment on the integration of moving images and still photos based
on the theoretical approach, the methodological discussion as well as the previous research
with the aim of clearly depicting the outcomes and the cause of the accomplishments during
the three lessons performed in school. Furthermore, in the light of what is described above,
this discussion addresses the general usage of multimodality and more specifically the
relationship between literacy and non verbal sources.
Interactive communication is one of the main goals when using multimodality in
the classroom according to Warschauer, Shetzer and Meloni. This portrays one of many
reasons for using multimodality in the classroom. In relation to the online experience, the
performed task gave the students the material to have a conversation with a clear aim and
focus. The primary purpose for the discussion was to enhance the usage of the target
language, as well as broadening the students’ world views. Concerning a clear aim and focus
on communication Warschauer, Shetzer and Meloni speak of vitality as a point of importance
since too many conversations are decontextualized in classroom environments. In my opinion,
by using the animated clip it gave the possibility for a conversation that was in framework of
what was portrayed in the clip. It also made it possible to depict the misconceptions
concerning Africa and the people who reside there.
On the subject of a multicultural perspective in the classroom, Kajder states that
the value of one’s own and other cultures should be attentive in the education. As a result of
the juxtaposition made in the classroom, a multicultural perspective opportunity was created;
it also gave the opportunity for new knowledge to be attained concerning other cultures but
also to display resemblances and differences amongst them. During a discussion concerning
teen pregnancy, some misconceptions concerning healthcare arose, which gave an opportunity
for revising views and also, I believe, gave the students the possibility to acquire new
knowledge concerning the world around them. It also gave one boy the possibility to discuss
his culture.
The discussion contributed to insights concerning Africa and the source of the
discussions was an animated clip that was portrayed. On the topic of the anime, Naidu states
that despite the fact that an anime does not represent a realistic manner, it assists the learner to
understand and gain knowledge. Kajder discusses the importance of using different literacies
to enable the students to discuss complex discourses where meaning is context based. In my
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opinion, by using the animated clip it made an attempt to in first hand discuss a complex
discourse. There by also tried to portray that despite the fact that the anime was not
traditionally educational, it illustrated that acquiring knowledge is not only a book based
activity. It is feasible to gain new knowledge with a variety of literacies and it is not
something that is bound to a book or a place.
Besides the fact that digital literacy can enhance discourses, it has also an ability
to take shape in different ways. This means that one can modify tasks in various ways
depending on what outcome one wants to enhance. During the second and the third lesson, a
non verbal source was used to enhance the target language and also to let the students use
their imagination concerning the image portrayed. Pahl and Roswell discuss the different
shapes of literacy, meaning that it can be used for different purposes to display knowledge but
also as framework for teaching a language. In my opinion, my lesson was satisfactorily
achieved multiple purposes. The lesson enabled the students to display their knowledge in
different ways, at the same time as they demonstrated the ability to see the image not only as
an object but also as a verbal source.
According to Pahl and Roswell, literacy means engaging in something visual
that further leads to oral practices and literacy exercise. An important element of this project
has been to give the students the opportunity to comprehend the meaning of the visual to the
same extent as the written words. In my opinion, that was successful during the lessons since
the students used a non verbal source and created stories in relation to them. On this topic
Pahl and Roswell also state the fact concerning the recognition between the word and
pictures, seeing them as a unit bringing meaning to one another.
On the subject of multimedia, Naidu states that multimedia objects can facilitate
different learning tasks. However, according to the MR approach there ought to be caution in
the selection of multimedia objects since it has to consider the level of the learner in order to
be a sufficient source of knowledge. In my opinion, the image made it possible for the
students to choose the level of their language when performing the task. However, the
challenging fact was the usage of words which gave them the opportunity to gain new
knowledge and to present different people.
According to Lundahl, multimodality represents the world in different ways, as
did the students when displaying their stories about the pictures. Another aspect of using
pictures as a supplement to the lessons was to motivate the students to consider different ways
of living by using their imagination as well as interest in what they were performing.
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According to Wright, the pictures are contributors for adding motivation and willingness to
participate as well as link that unites the world with the classroom environment. In agreement
with Wright, almost all (with the exception of one group) students worked very well and they
seemed interested in the project. One can only speculate why one of the four groups did not
work as well as the rest, one reason might be that that kind of task does not motivate the
students and that they do not find it interesting.
In my opinion the reason for the three groups working well depends more on the
fact that the students were in control of the outcome. Another outcome that the images
contributed to was a discussion concerning obesity, World War II, gangsters and the benefits
and limitations of generalizations. Since every story had a different content it gave all the
students the same possibility to converse. On this topic, Wright states that images can enhance
bringing the world into the classroom environment which also connects to Wright’s claim
concerning facilitating for the learners to develop as people by giving them the opportunity to
interpret a non verbal source in relation to other people.
One of the main points of using multimodality was to improve the students’
language skills, with the main focus placed on vocabulary. According to Mayer, the
combination with pictures and vocabulary enhances the learning in that field. In the course of
the lessons, concerning vocabulary usage, it was discovered that two out of four groups used
new vocabulary that they had learned during the first activity and reused them during the
creation of their stories. Reasons for that might have been that it was not suitable for the text
they wrote or that the students did not extend their vocabulary. In the light of this, Mayer
points out that due to its flexibility multimedia permits various modifications of assignments
so they may suit different learning styles. Concerning the images used in the different stories,
I noticed that the students used different strategies when telling the stories. Some preferred to
draw pictures and use word while others only used words and there was also one group that
mostly worked with the written text. This displayed that the students had different learning
strategies and they used them when opportunity was given. On this topic, Lundahl states that
the ability to make sense of the image gives a widen language conception.
Besides the connection between language use and images, Lundahl states that
one can also encounter the pictures with previous experience and knowledge. In my opinion
that is to a great extent acceptable; however, by using non verbal sources one can also gain
new knowledge since a picture has the ability to be transformable depending on the one who
interprets it. Other circumstances that can be discussed concerning images are according to
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Lundahl values and assumptions. Due to the fact that one of the aims of these lessons was to
make the students gain a greater understanding of the world around them, this also included
discussions concerning values and reason for the selection of story.
Further more, the usage of two multimodal sources in different contexts with the same focus
on vocabulary and a broadening world portrayed a link between all three lessons. According
to the MR approach, this is a favored strategy since it ties together new gained knowledge and
the one being referred to as well as giving simplicity to the current concept since one is
accustomed with the past practice.
Concerning the choice of method, there were some short comings to this
assignment; one was the time limit. However, this does not make the study less valid.
Another shortcoming was seen by using this method was that it sometimes could be complex
to take notes while performing the lessons. However, a way of eliminating this problem is
through planning and collection of data which was examined afterwards.
If the possibility was given to perform these lessons with other students, some
things would be altered. The animated clip and the non verbal source, however, would still be
used. To further increase the students’ vocabulary, a list made by the students would have
been at their disposal after the viewing of the clip so they could revisit the words during other
lessons. Another change would be to get all the students to become more interested in the
topic. This could be achieved by spending more time performing the tasks and also by adding
a task where the students could “discover” the world on their own and attain new knowledge
through the usage of multimodality.
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7. Conclusion
By using action research it became evident that inclusion of an animated clip and an
image to portray a broader world view was pedagogically effective to an extent. Most of
the students became more active when discussing issues considering what they had seen.
This also gave space to discuss assumptions that were not based on fact and to replace old
assumptions with new knowledge. New vocabulary had been acquired by some as well as
all the students demonstrated the ability to interpret the image as a textual resource. These
mixed media assignments also proved that a broader world view could be acquired
through multimedia.
In spite of these positive outcomes, this qualitative study and action research
does not attempt to give any specific answers concerning implementing multimodality in
the classroom. It does not either give any final answers to broadening the world views of
students or increasing their vocabulary range. However, the study shows the challenges I
have come across during my teaching and the lesson descriptions and outcomes can be a
starting point for additional research in the use of multimodal teaching and learning.
Finally, the performed tasks demonstrate how English language skills can be
acquired with the help of multimodality and students need not be reliant singularly on
book-based learning. This suggests that lifelong learning is a process that can start in the
classroom but is not bound to a particular place.
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8. Work Cited
Andrews, Richard (red.), The impact of ICT on literacy education, RoutledgeFalmer, London,
2004.
Ericsson, Erling, Animate it!: telling stories with words, pictures, movement and sound,
Swedish Educational Broadcasting Company (Sveriges utbildningsradio) (UR), Stockholm,
2003.
Kajder, Sara, Adolescents and Digital Literacies: Learning Alongside Our Students, NCTE,
Illinois, 2010.
Lundahl, Bo, Engelsk språkdidaktik: texter, kommunikation, språkutveckling, 2., [rev.] uppl.,
Lund, 2009.
Mayer, Richard E. (red.), The Cambridge handbook of multimedia learning, Cambridge
University Press, Cambridge, 2005.
Mills, Geoffrey E., Action Research- A Guide for Teacher Researcher, Southern Oregon
University, New Jersey, 2000.
Pahl, Kate and Roswell, Jennifer, Literacy and Education- Understanding the New Literacy
Studies in the Classroom, SAGA Publications Company, London, 2005.
Naidu, Som (red.), Learning & teaching with technology: principles and practices, Kogan
Page, London, 2003.
Rivoltella, Cesare, Pier. Digital Literacy- Tools and Methodologies for Information Society,
Universitá Cattolica del Sacro Cuero, Italy, 2008.
Warschauer, Mark, Shetzer, Heidi & Meloni, Christine F, Internet for English teaching,
TESOL, Alexandria, 2000.
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Wright, Andrew, Pictures for language learning, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge,
1989.
Web pages
http://www.amazingposts.com/2007/07/childhood-photos-of-famous.html (10/10 2010)
http://obama-pictures.blogspot.com/2009/11/barack-obama-as-child.html (30/9 2010) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1e8xgF0JtVg (10/10 2010)
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Appendix
